CA1308149C - Push-button switch - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A push-button switch comprising two push-buttons opposed to each other, a shade plate provided protrudingly at each of said push-buttons for interlocking to a photo-sensor and a pair of light-receiving element and light-emitting element as a plurality of photo-sensors to be operated ON/OFF selectively. The shade plate is movable between said two elements. The push-button is provided with a multistage action mechanism and the shade plate carries out multistage operation of ON/OFF by selecting a plurality of photo-sensors at each engagement by the multistage action mechanism with a plurality of engaging parts at depression of the push-button.

Description

3 308~ 4q TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Push-button 6witch BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the invention:
Thi6 invention relate6 to a push-button 6witch of non-contact interlocklng 6yRtem which i6 capable of carrying out multi6tage operation by a 6ingle pu~h-button.
,, De6cription of the prior art:
Conventional pu6h-button 6witche6 for operating hoi6t6, crane6, etc. are generally of contact type.
Pu6h-button 6witche6 of thls type emit 6parks at each ~witchlng operatlon and this eparking result6 in wearing ' contacts and shortening the usable life of ewitche6.
Thu6, conventlonal push-button switches must be replaced ',~ 15 with new ones frequently and lack reliabllity of crane ,~, operatlon. Furthermore, lt 1B requlred to keep the dlstan¢o between contACts ~t the ~llow~ble extent for , ' sarety operation,and therefore in the case multl~tage '''i~ ''~ push-button swltches~ they are limlted in mlnlaturjlzatlon.
Since each operatlon of lengthwl6e travellng, sldeways ,~ traveling, windlng, windlng do~n, etc. 1B carried out by -;, a respectlve s~ltch, one pendant swltch case must hold . ,, many push-button swltches. Therefore, the swltch case 18 large ln ~lze and the one-handed manlpulation of it ,f~ 25 is dlfficult.
,' . There 1B avallable a syetem Or the multlstage operatlon by a elngle swltch, uslng a varl~ble re6istor.

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'~ "'' 133~149 According to this ~y~tem, maintenance of the required ~peed, as well as the ~peed increa~e or decrease of a motor, can be carried out by only turning a knob.
However, the variable re6istor involve6 mechanical wear and i6 poor in durability. Moreover, it i8 difficult to do the micro-regulation by a knob with gloved hands.
The output from the variable re~istor is the analog variation and is liable to be affected by noi6e, for example, while it i~ being tran~mitted by cable.
In view of the a~ove, the pre~ent invention ha6 for it6 ob~ect to carry out variou~ operation6 accurately and ea~ily by giving a plurality of digital ~ignals by the depre~sing operation,of a ~ingle pu~h-button of non-contact type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The push-button switch according to the present lnventlon .i6 provlded,with two push-button6 whlch are oppos~d to each other~ a shade plate provided protrudlngly At oach pu6h-button for lnterlocklng to a photo-~en~or (light-recelving,element);and pairs of light-recelving element6 and ~5,light-emlttlng element6 as a plurality of photo-sensor6 to be operat~d eelectively ON/OFF by the 6hade plate. The shade plate i8 movable between the two elements, the push-button i8 provided with a multistage action mechanlsm whereby the push-button engage6 6ucces6ively with a plurallty of engaging parts when it i8 depressed, and the shade plate carries out multistage -.

_ 3 _ 1308149 operation of ON/OFF by selecting a plurality of photo-sensor~ at each engagement by the multi~tage action mechani~ when the pu6h-button i~ depressed.
Under the above arrangement, as a plurality of photo-6en~0r~ are made ON/OFF, a variety of signal6 can be taken out by,the combination of photo-sen~ors and therefore the number of 6ignal line6 can be less than the number of 6ignal6. Moreover, a6 the pu~h-button moves with many actions and changes over ON/OFF of the photo-sensor at it6 po6ition of each action, changeover of ON/OFF is done accurately. Since output ~ignal~ are digltal 6ignal6 of ON/OFF, there is slight danger of being affected by noise or other barrier6 and the changeover operatlon Or high accuracy can be carried out.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWIN~
Fig. l i8 an exploded per6pective view of the push-button ~witch according to the present invention as seen ~rom the back 6ide., Fig. 2 is a front vlew of a left half ,of the pu~h-button s~itch as lt is sectioned; Flg. 3 18 20 A longitudlnal slde elevation; Fig. 4 i6 a plan view;
Fig. 5 i6 a bottom vlew and Also an explanatory drawing Or the actlon mechanism; Fig. 6 is a bottom view!of the caslng; Fig. 7 i~ an explanatory drawing of the llght-emitting and llght-receivlng elements; Fig. 8 16 an expla~atory drawing 6howlng the relatlon between the two push-button~ and the llght-emlt~ing/light recelvlng elements; Flg. 9 and Flg. 10 are an explanatory drawlng `''' .

1`3081 ~9 of the push-button re~pectively; Fig. 11 i~ a front view of a left half of the three-stage operation ~witch a~ it i~ ~ectioned; Fig. 12 is a bottom view of tlle left half shown in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 and Fi~. 14 are modified example~ of the push-button; Fig. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the action mechanism of the pu6h-button and Fig. 1~ is a cross ~ection of the action mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A description is made below of the present invention, on the ba~i~ of a preferred embodiment.
Fig. 1 is an exploded per~pective view of the push-button switch as it i8 seen from the back 6ide.
A pu6h-button switch 1 compri6es puFh-buttons 3A, 3B in palrs contained ln a casing 2, a photo-~ensor (llght-receiving element) group 4A whlch is nade ON/OFF
selectlvely by each push-button operatlon and a light-emlttlng elemont group 4B which forms a pair wlth said group 4A. The casing 2 is made of a material which is llght ln welght~ durable and insulatlng, for example, synthetic resin. ! Made at the back side of the caslng 2 are pu~h-button in~erting grooves 21, 21 through whlch two push-buttons with a shade plate are put oppositely.
A shade plate inserting groove 22 is formed between the push-button inserting grooves 21, 21 contiguously to the push-button inserting grooves 21, 21. The shade plate inserting groove 22 is oppo6ed to the two push-1 30g l 49 button~ and when the two push-button~ are inserted in the re~pective push-button inserting groove 21, two shade plate~ overlap each other. Provided at the central part of the ca6ing 2 are element in~erting groove~ 24, 25, with the ~hade plate in~erting groove 22 therebetween, in which the light-receiving element PT group 4A (photo-tran~i~tor, CD cell, photo-diode, etc.) and the light-emitting element LED group 4B which are opposed to each other are in~erted re~pectively. The~e element in~erting grooves 24, 25 in the number of three or four are arranged in a row along the lengthwi6e direction of the shade plate in~ertlng groove 22 ~o that three or four ~et~ of a pair of light-receiving element PT and a light-emitting element ~ED can be uRed or 6uch inserting groove6 can be a single groove ln which the light-emitting elem0nt group or the light-recelvlng element group i8 in6erted collectively.
The element lnsertlng groove~ 24, 25 are open only at the glde facing the bottom 8urface or the casing 2. Made at the inner side of the element ln6ertlng groo~es 24, 25 are light-tranomitting holes 24h, 25h. These holes are made in 6uch a fa~hion that they are located on the Game 6tralght llne as the light progresslng dlrectlon 60 that light of the llght-emittlng element whlch is emitted at all tlmes can reach the slde of the light-recelving element.
Formed integrally at the outer circumference of the bottom side of the caslng 2 are a short base plate gulde 26 which support~ a base plate and A back lid and also a lld gulde .. . . .

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27 with a hole 27h which engages with a lid plate.
Provided at the inner ~ide of the lid guide 27 is a ba~e plate receiver 28 with a ~houlder part ~o that it is on the ~ame level with the undersurface of circumferential ~- 5 walls 23, 23 of the element in~erting grooves 24, 25.
Since the push-buttons 3A and 3B are of the ~ame construction, a description i~ made below about one of them. The pu~h-button 3A i~ 60 shaped and sized that it i~ not loo~e in the push-button in6erting groove 21 and slide6 smoothly in'vertical direction. Provided at a part of the pu~h-button and protrudingly through a hole made at the top part of the casing 2 i6 a push piece 31 for depres~ing operation. Provided at the opposlte side of the puRh piece 31 is a protru~ion 32 for stopping a 6pring and at the side thereof is a shade plate 33. The shade plate 33 has a light transmltting , wlndow hole 34 eo that when the pueh-button wae depreGeed, light of,a certaln light-emlttlng element among a plurality of the,light-emitting element group and the llght-recel~ing element,group arranged ln a row can reach the correeponding llght-recelving element. Provided at the outer end eide of the light-transmitting window hole 34 are a depre6sion llght-ehading piece 35, notches, etc.
eo that when the pu~h-button wae depreeeed, light between the light-emitting~element and the light-receiving element is lntérrupted. The shade plates33 of push-buttons 3A, 3B
are 80 arranged that they overlap each other and the ', ' ~ \
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' ' , 1 30~ 1 49 light-tran6mitting window hole of one push-button is located at the position of the depression shading piece of the other pu6h-button.
Action mechanism~ 4, 4 are arranged between the pu~h-button6 3A, 3B and the pu~h-button in6erting grooves : 21, 21 in which the pu6h-button~ are in6erted. The action mechani6m 16 compo~ed of two ball6 41, 42 which are in6erted in a through hole ~6 made in the push-button proper 3A, 3B, a spring 4~ which force6 the ball~ outwardly and an engaging part 44 (6houlder part~, notche~ or the like) formed at the,inner surface of the ln~erting groove 21. The engaging part 44 ~hown in the drawing ha6 the gtop po~ition 44a (the po~ition to which the pu6h-button i8 pushed up whlle it i6 not depre~sed by the maln ~pring 's 15 37) and engaging proJections 44b, 44c, 44d (hereinafter .
7: referred to a~ the fir~t, second and third pro~ection~).
A print base plate 5 and ~ lid plate 6 Are fixed to ~ 1 the ~,ower part of tho casing 2. Thls print base plate 5 : , ;., .. 18 o~ euch size that lt can be flxed in the base plate : ,aQ, gulde 26 and the lld gulde 27 formed protrudingly at the ':' circumference Or the lower bottom surface of the caslng 2.
Prlnt wlrlng~ are made on this print base plate 5. Screw .. .. .
"~ holes 51, 51 .... ln whlch termlnals for power eupply to , the light emlttlng element LED and those for taklng out ~ , .
, ~ 2g electrlc slgnals from the llght recelvlng element PT are ltted are made ln the base plate 5. The llght emlttlng :~q element LED and the llght recelvlng element PT are paired ~':
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, 1 30~ i ~9 in opposition to each other and three or four set~ of thi6 pair are provided. The~e sets are inserted in the element in6erting groove6 24, 25 of the casing 2 and fixed with a resi~tor R. Spring in6erting hole~ 52, 52 through which ~prings 37, 37 for reinstating the pu~h-button are made in the ba6e plate 5.
The lid plate 6 i8 intended for fixing the ba~e plate 5 and for preventing du~t from entering element parts and other part~ in the ca~ing 2. It i~ made of insulatlng material and i~ .formed in ~uch a 6hape as shown in Fig. 1. The lid plate 6 is provided with ~pring supporting part6 61, 61 for supporting the 6pring 37.
Notches 62, 62 ... in which terminal6 are inserted are provided on both 6ides of the spring ~upporting parts 61, 61. Th~se notches 6Z are made at such a position that when the lid plate 1B flxed to the casing 2, they are oppo8ed to the upper e,nd of the base plate guideland ';
wrew holos 51 for terminal fixing made in the ba,se plate 5. Provlded at outer end surfaces of both sldes of the notch 62 are engaglng pleces 63 of hook-shape whlch engage wlth the engaglng holes 27h of the caslng 2.
The assembllng of each part is de6crlbed below, wlth reference to Flg. ~ Two push-~.buttons 3A, 3B are inserted ln push-button in~erting groove~ 21, 21 in such, a fashion that shade plates of the pueh-buttons overlap . each other and push pleces 31, 31 protrude from the top 6urface of the caslng 2. Then, the ba~e plate 5 on whlch .
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' ~ , ' .'.' ' ''' '' ','.
' '', ~ ' -~, . !, 13~149 g light-emitting group 4A and light-receiving group 4B
in pair6 are print wired is applied to the,back 6urface of the ca~ing 2. At thi6 time, it i~ e~sential that each light-receiving element i6 inserted accurately in the element in6erting groove 24 and each light-emitting element i8 in6erted accurately in the.element receiving groove 25, : Ne~t, two ~pring~ 37, 37 are in6erted from ~pring pas6ing through hole6 52, 52 of the ba~e plate for engagement with 6pring 6top protru6ion~ 32, 32.
In fixing the lid plate 6, if the lid plate 6 i6 pre6~ed again6t the back ~ide of the ca6ing 2 in such a fashion that the spring 37 i~ in6erted in the 6pring ~upporting part 61, 61, the engaging piece 63 i6 in6erted ln the lld gulde and at the same tlme,,is engaged wlth and flxed to the engaglng hole 27h formed on the lid guldo. Thus, the baee plate 5 18 alsO flxed at the same tlme as the lid plate 18 engaged.
.In order.to facilltate flxlng o~ the pu6h-button swltch proper 1 to the swltch case or the like, the pueh-button swltch proper 1 has a flttlng plece having a flttlng screw hole.
: The push-button ewltch constructet as mentloned above can be used slngly but in the case where lt i8 used a~ a pendant swltch of crane or the llke, at lea~t two push-button ~- swltches 1, 1 aré arranged ln a pendant ewltch case for each.
actlon of lengthwiee travellng, 61deway6 travellng, ~ ...... . .

': ' 1 30~ 1 49 etopping, winding, winding down, etc. In any event, each light-emitting element and each light-receiving element are connected to electric lines which give electric signal~ for controlling each action and supply electric current.
A de6cription i~ made below of each action of the two-stage operation ~hown in Fig. l - Fig. 10.
In the ca~e where push-buttons 3A, 3B of modified shape as 6hown in Fig. 9, if the push-button 3A or 3B
is pushed, the push-button is depressed against the force of the ~pring 37, whereupon light from the light-emitting element on the push-button slde which is "on" at all time6 reache6,the light-receivlng element via a light transmitting window hole of the ~hade plate which has been depre~sed and is converted into an electric signal ; by whlch the de61red action is carrled out. At this time, light from the light-emitting element on the other side - is shAded by a depression shading piece of the pu6h-button.
The action of the light-recei~ing elements A, B, C
arranged as ~hown ln Flg. 7 which is done by ON/OFF by the first-stage or the second-stage depressing operation of the push-button 3A on the left side and the pu~h-button 3B on the right side in Fig. 9, le shown in the following table.

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1 30~ 1 49 ..
Light-receiving _ elemel t Remark A B C
. , . . ._ Both push-buttons OFF OFF OFF Both OFF
3A and ~B OFF __ _ _ 3B fir~t-~tage ON OFF OFF Right side -3A ON~ ~ _ 610w 6Peed ~FF 3B 6econd-~tage ON ON OFF Right ~ide -_ ON high sPeed __ _ 3B 3A fir~t-stage OFF ¦ FF ON Left ~ide -~FF ON low ~Peed v 3A 6econd-~tage OFF )N ON Left side -_ ON hi~h sPeed Both push-button6 OFF OFF OFF Both OFF by ON _ interlockin~
The central light-receiving element B among three light-receiving element6 ~hown in Fig. 7 i6 u6ed commonly at the second-stage operation ON.
The state of operation in the case where push-button~
3A and 3B of the shape show n in Flg. 10 i8 shown in the following table.

~:~ __ . Light-receiving . ~ ~ 1Q~ t Remar~
. A B C , Both push-buttons OFF OFF OFF Both OFF
~A ~ }~OFF
. 3A 3B firet-6tage OFF OFF ON Right side -~FF . ON _ _ slow ~eed ~, .
~ 3B second-~tage OFF ON ON Rl~ht ~ide -3 ON hi~h fiPeed 3A rlrst-stage ON OFF OFF Left ~ide -3B ON Alow PpPP~
~FF 3A gecond-etage ON ON OFF Left ~lde -ON ___ hi~h ~Peed Both push-buttons OFF OFF ~FF Both OFF by 3A and 3B ON interlockin~

1 30~1 ~iq In a three-~ta¢e operation ~witch shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, four pair~ of light-emitting element and light-receiving element are used and pu~h-buttons 3A, 3B of ~ch ~hape a~ ~hown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 are u~ed for them.
In the embodiment, pu~h-button6 3A, 3B are of different ~hape but may be of the ~ame ~hape.
The three-stage operation i~ carried out in the ~ame way a6 the two-6tage operation. The first ~tage depres6ion, the second stagé depre6sion and the third 6ta~e depre~sion are done by an action mechanism compri6ing engaging projection~ 44a - 44d of ~taircase 6hape formed at the inner 6urface of the pu~h-button lnserting groove, two ball6 41 and a spring 43 fltted in each push-button. In the embodiment, a pair of light-emltting element and a llght-recelvlng element i8 arranged in a row at oppoelng pueh-buttone but may be arranged ln parallel.
Accordlng to the pre6ent invention, a6 the push-button 1~ moved wlth a plurallty of actlon and a plurallty of llght-recelvlng element6 are made ON/OFF selectlvely at each action poeltlon, two-stage operation and 6wltchlng operation can be sensed accurately and therefore improve-ment of operablllty and minia~urlzation can be reallzed.
~5 Al60, as ON/OFF of the clrcult 1~ of non-contact sy6tem by the light lnterceptlon, usable ilfe of the pueh-button ; can be prolonged. Moreover, a plurallty of elgnAl6 can be ~' ~ \'.
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1 30~ 1 49 generated by a 6ingle 6witch and 6uch 6ignal6 are digital 6ignal6 of ON/OFF which are not affected by noise, etc. Also, when the light-emitting element is cut, the push-button will not act even if the pu~h-button i~ depre6sed, which ensure6 6afety.
What i6 claimed i6:

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A push-button switch comprising two push-buttons which are opposed to each other, a shade plate provided protrudingly at each of said push-buttons for interlocking to a photo-sensor (light-receiving element) and a pair of light-receiving element and light-emitting element as a plurality of photo-sensors to be operated ON/OFF selectively, said shade plate being movable between said two elements, said push-buttons being provided with a multistage action mechanism which engages with a plurality of engaging parts successively at depression and the shade plate carrying out multistage operation of ON/OFF by selecting a plurality of photo-sensors (light-receiving elements) at each engagement by the multistage action mechanism at depression or the push-buttons